A Handprint on My Heart
by Rosie85
Summary: FIYERABA Reposted and Rewritten. Five years after Fiyero's death, and four months after the melting of the Witch of the west. Glinda picks up the pieces of Oz and discovers a few of its hidden secrets along the way... Novel based with a hint of musical
1. Lady Glinda

**Re-posted and re-written. I hope you all enjoy! This fic, for the most part, is novel based with a few exceptions: both the freindship between Elphaba and Glinda and the fate of Madame Morrible will follow that of the musical. While the novel spands nearly fifty years of Elphaba's life, I am shifting time and turning back the dear Clock Dragon: my story begins five years after Fireyo's novel death, and four months after Elphaba's melting. The characters (Glinda, Fiyero, and Elphaba) are in their late twenties.**

Disclaimer: All belong to the great Gregory Maguire... except this new plot- this is all mine :)

* * *

Lady Glinda Upland began her decent down the steep and dark steps of the palace dungeon. It had been four months since the Wizard had departed from the Emerald City, never to be seen again, and Glinda's first order of business was to clean up the mess that was Oz...

The unexpected departure of the Wizard, and the inprisoning of Madame Morrible, had left Oz without a ruler. Because of her already high standing with the people of Oz, Glinda was nominated, and immediately appointed ruler. After bearing witness to the atrocities committed by the wizard and his gale force, Glinda knew that she did not want Oz to be a dictatorship. She felt that all the different lands should be allowed to govern themselves, but they would all adhere to a universal constitution drafted by herself. Glinda wanted peace.

When the news of Elphaba's death reached the Emerald City, Glinda stayed in a locked room for three days, and for those days, she mourned the loss of her best friend. Though she and Elphaba had their differences, Glinda was thankful that the two of them were able to bury the hatchet before Elphaba had died.. But even this fact was not enough to give Glinda the peace of mind that she desired. She knew that for all of Elphaba's pain and suffering, the one thing that she fought so vigorously for, was never achieved. Glinda knew that she owed it to Elphaba to bring peace to Oz, not just to its citizens, but to its Animals as well.

Glinda spent her first month reviewing all of the military orders drafted by the Wizard. The majority of the Gale Force had been sporadically stationed throughout Oz to act as spies for the Wizard. Glinda spent this month discharging those soldiers who had abused their authority, and reassigning those who had not. The next three months were spent in meetings with the representatives of each Ozian providence. After weeks and weeks of negotiating new laws, rights, and freedoms, Glinda drafted a new constitution that was unanimously passed by the commitee of leaders.

One week after the announcement and unveiling, of the new Ozian Constitution, a farewell Banquet was assembled for all the leaders. Glinda couldn't be happier with the results of months of hard work. She had achieved her goal. Peace and equality would now have a lasting affect on all members of Oz. Though she was all smiles at the banquet, a part of her cried at the thought that Elphaba would have been proud with what she had accomplished.

Glinda returned to her chambers, and after changing into her favorite nightgown, she found a sealed envelope on her nightstand. Within was a letter from the palace dungeon:

_Lady Glinda,_

_I wanted to bring to your attention a certain number of prisoners that have been unlawfully kept, tortured, and abused by order of the Wizard. These men deserve to be set free. I have enclosed the names of these men and their charges. It will be your final decision that decides their fate._

Glinda read over the names and the charges, 'Of course these men shall be set free!' she thought. There was one name, however, that was listed as 'Unknown'. Glinda knew that she would need to take a trip to the dungeon to further investigate this prisoner.

The dungeon was dark and filthy. Glinda continued down the steps and met a guard at the bottom of the stairs, "Good morning, Lady Glinda. Thank you for responding to my letter."

"It is of no problem. What can you tell me about this man. The man labeled 'Unknown'?"

"He's a gentleman. He was taken prisoner about five years ago. Beatin' really bad when they captured him. He was interrogated weekly about somethin'. I dunno much, it was hush hush business. The Wizard himself would come down and have him beat and tortured, but he would never speak. He yelled for death once, but the wizard said that he was more valuable alive. I dunno much about his value; it was kept confidential."

The prisoner was kept at the far end of the line of cells behind a locked door. The guard opened the door and Glinda was immediately hit with the stench of death. The floor of the cell was carpeted in dirt and hay. Glinda made out the figure of a man crouched in the furthest corner. His knees were drawn up to his chest, and his head bowed down to his knees, "Open the cell, please" The guard fished out the key and unlocked the cell door, "I will be right here, my lady" He opened the door and Glinda walked in. The dirt and hay was stained with blood and vomit. Glinda had to hold back the bile that began to grow within her own throat.

She carefully walked over to the man and he lifted his head. His face was covered in dirt, parts of his face were caked in dried blood and a purple bruise still appeared fresh over his left eye. Though the mess of his face made him unrecognizable, there was one factor that could not allude Glinda: A blue diamond that shown on his chin atop his dark skin. There was no mistaking the identity of the man before her, "Fiyero?" At the sound of his name he fell over unconscious.


	2. Chistery and the awakening of a Prince

-Kiamo Ko-

Chistery was an amazing animal. He may have been a mimic to any word spoken to him, but he was extremely observant. He knew that his mistress could not tolerate water. He saw her use oils everyday, and even if by some accident water came into contact with her skin, she would immediately pat it dry and apply coconut oil.

Chistery watched in horror from a corner as water was thrown at his mistress, putting out the flames at the hem of her dress, but also dousing her entire face and neck. Chistery saw her fall to her knees and crumple into a heap on the ground- her skin beginning to smoke as the water burned into her emerald flesh. Chistery saw her laying motionless and quickly ran to her side. She had lost consciousness from the pain and was undoubtedly dying from the unbearable burning. Chistery found a cloth on top of a pile of clothes and began to pat down her face and neck. He hurried to a shelf and brought back a container of coconut oil and poured its contents on her face and neck.

With the help from a couple more monkeys, Chistery managed to pull her onto her bed. Seconds, minutes, hours, days, and weeks went by. Chistery continued applying oil to her skin, because after a certain amount of time, her skin would again begin to smoke.

Three and a half months went by. The skin on her face and neck had stopped its smoking all together and seemed to heal... but the Witch of the West remained comatose.

* * *

-The Emerald City-

Glinda rushed to Fiyero's side and cradeled his head in her lap. She yelled for help and ordered the guards to carry Fiyero up to her chamber, and to have her handmaids clean him as best they could while she fetched the palace's physician. The doctor came swiftly and immediately went to work at dressing the wounds that covered his body. It was easy to tell that he had been underfed. His lips were dry and cracked from dehydration.

Once the physcian finished tending to his wounds, he ordered for water and a chicken broth to be brought to Fiyero, and asked Glinda to try and feed him slowly at first, and as much as he could keep down. Glinda did as instructed, and did not leave his side for four days. On the fifth day the Arjiki prince opened his eyes.

"Welcome back to the world." Fiyero's eyes opened slowly, taking a few moments to adjust to the brightness of the room. He turned his head slightly toward the voice and his vision focused, "Glinda?" She smiled down at him, "Where am I?" Glinda sat next to him on the bed, "You're in the Emerald City Palace. I had you brought here... I found you in the dungeon." Fiyero closed his eyes trying to remember, and sat up suddenly, "Elphaba! Where is she? Is she safe?!"

"Fiyero, calm down. You're still very weak you need to lie back and calm down." She pushed him back down slowly, purposely avoiding his question of Elphaba, "Here," She reached over to the bowl of chicken broth and scooped him a spoonful, "Open." Fiyero obeyed and Galinda spooned soup into his mouth. He swallowed and opened his mouth again to speak, but was met with another spoonful of soup. Each time he tried to speak food was put into his mouth. It took him a while, but he soon finished the bowl of broth. "Now the doctor said you will be fine, and as long as you keep eating, you should be on your feet in a week and then you can..." Glinda got up from the bed and continued speaking. She placed his soup bowl on a table near the door, and then came back to the side of the bed. In the middle of a sentence about the Wizard's departure, she was interrupted by the sound of Fiyero's voice.

"Glinda." Fiyero sat up in his bed and grabbed her arm, forcing her to look him in the eye, "Where is Elphaba?"Glinda took a breath and sat softly down at his bedside. She opened her mouth to speak, but let out a sob, "Fiyero, there was an accident-" tears began streaming down her face and she could not hold back her emotions, "there was a child. A girl from another world. She went to Elphaba... and somehow Elphaba's dress caught fire and this girl picked up a bucket of water to try and help her and-" She couldn't finish her sentence and broke down in tears.

Fiyero couldn't quite put the pieces together. He knew how sensitvie Elphaba's skin was- how even the slightest dab of water, and even the application of cocount oil made her flinch. "What happened? The water-it must have scaleded her!" Glinda shook her head furiously, "No, Fiyero, It.. melted her." Glinda spoke the words, knowing how ridiculous they sounded. Fiyero's eyes scrunched up and he looked at Glinda as if she were crazy, "Melted? That's not possible! How can you be sure?!"

"That is what Dorothy told all of us. She said that the moment the water hit Elphaba, her skin began to smoke and Elphaba fell to the floor."

"I don't believe it. It's impossible-"

"Fiyero stop. Don't you think that I have already asked myself these same questions?! She's gone! If she were alive, she would have sent word-"

"Not with a price on her head! She would have stayed in hiding, and took this so called 'death' as a blessing and as a way to escape somewhere else to safety!"

Glinda did not know how to respond. She sat and stared at him. She saw the passion and fire in his eyes, and she noted how his eyes had swelled up with tears at the mention of Elphaba's death. Glinda looked at him inquisitively, "You loved her..." It was half question half statement. Fiyero looked at Glinda and remembered that his affair with Elphaba had been a secret from everyone. He sat back against his pillow and proceeded to tell Glinda about his meeting with Elphaba five years previous, and the circumstances that surrounded their affair.

Fiyero concluded his tale, descrbing for Glinda the last time he had spoken with Elphaba and the events of that Lurinemas Eve, "Glinda, you must understand that I HAVE to find her. ... Where did that child say she died?"

"At Kiamo Ko-" Fiyero sat up quickly and began to stand up but was immediately pushed down by Glinda, " and if you plan on making a journey into the Vinkus. You WILL need your rest." Fiyero opened his mouth to protest "No! If you plan on trudging through the mountains and forests you need to build up your strength. Stay here another week or two. Get your energy and strength back." Fiyero looked into Glinda's eyes and understood that she was right, "I promise you, in two weeks time, I will supply you with everything you need for your journey." Glinda looked at him pleadingly.

"All right, Glinda. Two weeks. I will stay."


	3. The Journey Home

After a week of bed rest and chicken broth, Fiyero emerged from his room and outside into fresh air for the first time in five years. Each day of his second week was spent outdoors walking around the castle gardens, and riding one of the many steeds in the palace stable. When the chance came, Fiyero practiced fencing and shooting with the palace guards. He wasn't sure what would await him on his journey to Kiamo Ko, and he thought it best to keep himself in practice.

Each night he dined with Glinda and the two of them would entertain each other with stories and memories of their years at Shiz. Glinda was always the first to retire, and when he was sure she was asleep, he would walk to the very top of the palace and look to the west. Looking for home and and for the woman he loved.

Fiyero's second week finished almost as soon as it started. On the morning of his departure, Glinda had a small carriage packed with clothes, food, two pistols and ammo, all other supplies that Fiyero had requested. On his last day Fiyero wandered the shops of the Emerald City. Being so certain that Elphaba was alive, he purchased a dozen bottles of coconut oil and two new black dresses: one laced with emerald ribbon the other laced with silver. He continued walking through the city and soon found himself in the familiar low-rent warehouse district.

Memories flooded back to him as he made his way towards the boarded-up corn exchange... It was still intact- Fiyero opened the door and his nostrils met the stale air. He cautiously made his way up the stairs to Elphaba's former room. He stopped dead in his tracks at the sight of the blood stained floor. The entire room had been ransacked and was coated in dust. He pushed his way through the mess and walked over to the bed. He lay down and buried his head into her pillow. He had hoped her scent would have stayed embedded within, but he was pained when only the stench of Down was found. He closed his eyes and when he opened them they were filled with tears. He brought up his had and brushed them away. As he began to sit up, the color red caught his eye. He looked in the corner, and on the ground was the black rose patterned scarf he had given to Elphaba. He picked it up and brought it to his face and breathed in its scent. He smiled as he was suddenly engulfed with the scent of her skin. He carefully folded the scarf and put it inside the breast pocket of his jacket, turned, and left the room.

Glinda walked with Fiyero out of the palace and out to the awaiting carriage. He climbed up into the driver's seat and grabbed hold of the reins, "Wait," Glinda turned towards and approaching guard and took from him a broomstick, "I want you to have this" she handed the broomstick to Fiyero, "Dorothy brought it back to the Wizard. It was handed down to me… Maybe you will find a place for it." He bent down from the carriage and kissed her cheek, "Thank you , Glinda, for everything. I will send word when I reach Kiamo Ko."

"Godspeed my friend"

* * *

Four days into his journey Fiyero realized that he should have taken a bit more time to recuperate. Though his body ached for rest and nourishment, his heart was the one in need of recovery. Five years in prison, each day undergoing torture and brutal interrogation had broken his body, and nearly his spirit. The one thing that had kept him alive was the realization that Elphaba was alive- why else would the wizard ask about her each and every day.

The venture to Kiamo Ko was normally a fifteen day journey, but Fiyero's determination to return home forced him push his horses faster and harder then what was normally expected. Also, his familiarity with the Vinkus allowed him to take every possible shortcut. He followed the path of the yellow brick road out of the Emerald city and took a turn west towards Kellswater. There he crossed a narrow bridge into the Vinkus and over the lake. He followed the Vinkus river for three days until he approached The Great Kells mountain range. This path was dark and treacherous, and it would take him another four days to pass through safely into Kiamo Ko.

His journey was long and strenuous, though he would stop each night to rest, it did not help that each sleep was plagued with nightmares. Every night he saw her face.

_He was standing atop the steps of the private library. Below him the streets were lined with those celebrating __Lurlinemas__ Eve. He saw her on the steps of the stone gazebo. The carriage approached and Madame __Morrible__ emerged. He saw __Elphaba__ freeze,_ and in his dream_, fall against the marble wall. He ran through the crowds of people, screaming her name. As he'd pass by the crowds, they would disappear. By the time he reached her, His world was dark and there was only himself and __Elphaba's__ lifeless form, "__Fae__?" he would ask as he crouched down to her, "__Elphaba__?…__Fae__, please wake up__.."__ He would scoop her into his arms and nothing. She was always as cold as ice, "__Fae__, no, please don't leave me…" It was at this moment that blood would gush from her abdomen._

"Elphaba!" he would always wake up screaming her name.

On the eve of the twelfth day, Fiyero looked from the top of the mountain towards Kiamo Ko. It was nearly midnight, and it would take him at least one more day to get down the mountain and to the front door of his home. He made camp for the night and fell asleep with Kiamo Ko in his view…

_The shot was fired and __Elphaba__ fell against the cold, marble wall. __Fiyero__ went sprinting to her side through the foggy darkness. He reached her side and knelt down and cradled her frozen form, "__Fae__?" __He caressed her cheek, "__Elphaba__, can you hear me?" Blood then gushed from her stomach, "NO! No, __Fae__, wake up!"_

Fiyero sprang up in bed, "Elphaba!"

"Huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuh!" Inside the tower of Kiamo Ko, Elphaba jolted up in her bed, her body burning and shaking uncontrollably. She looked around the room in panic, not quite sure what had happened to her. "Fiyero?" She asked in an uncertain tone. She had thought she heard him calling to her. Her breathing slowed down as she recognized her surroundings. Her room in the tower was dark and quiet, "Was it all a dream?" she said to herself.

Suddenly the figure of Chistery came into view, "Chistery?" He carried a container of coconut oil in one hand and handed it to her. She gave him an inquisitive look, but then he brought over the empty water bucket and it all fell into place, "It was real…" Chistery gave a grunt and nodded, "Then… you… Chistery, you saved me?" He gave another grunt and nodded again, "O, my dear, Chistery" She bent down and embraced him, "I will be forever grateful." Chistery hurried away from the room and returned shortly with a piece of stale bread. Though it was not the most appetizing piece of food, Elphaba took it quickly and devoured it. Chistery then left his mistress to her thoughts.

Elphaba slowly stood up from her bed and looked around. Judging from the dust in the room, she knew that she had been asleep for a long period of time. Her skin started to heat up and sweat began to acummulate. Elphaba quickly undressed and applied what was left of the coconut oil to her heated body. She picked up the first article of clothing she found, and buttoned up the front. She realized that it was one of Fiyero's tunics. Tears instantly came to her eyes, but she brushed them away before they made contact with her cheeks. She walked over to the window and looked over Kiamo Ko. The sun was rising in the sky. The most beautiful shade of pink and purple she had ever seen. The colors reminded her so much of Glinda… What she wouldn't give to see her right now. Surely Glinda must think that she had died, and she knew that it would be some time before she could reveal herself again... Granted that opportunity ever presented itself.

Elphaba sat at the window for a few more hours, the aches and pains in her joints and head, from months of laying motionless, began to subside. The skin on her face and neck began to warm from the sun and Elphaba suddenly felt exhausted. She walked over to her bed, and lay down, and fell into a dreamless slumber.

The noon sun baked into Fiyero's skin. He stirred in his sleep and his eyes fluttered open. By the position of the sun, he realized that the day was half gone. He got up and stretched before packing his things into the carriage and soon headed down the mountain towards Kiamo Ko.

Elphaba woke up to Chistery nudging her, "What is it?" He hurried to the window and pointed down. Elphaba sprang from the bed and looked down at the entrance. She saw an empty carriage, "O, No! It must be someone from the Gale Force. Quick, Chistery hide! They can't no I'm here. Go, shoo!" He scurried from the room and out of site. Elphaba ran to her trunk and fished out a small pistol with a single shot. Never before had she fired a gun, but she kept this for emergencies. She threw on a black cloak and brought the hood up around her head.

She walked out of the room and hid in the corridor cloaked in shadow and waited.

Fiyero walked into the castle and was met with darkness and silence, "Hello?" His voice echoed through out the castle. No response. He checked every room and found nothing. Tears began to swell up in his eyes, "She's here… She has to be" He made his way up to the different towers, and still nothing. There was only one more place left: The observation tower. He made his way up the dark and winding staircase and into the darkened hallway. He saw light coming from the room at the end of the hall and ran towards the tower's entrance

Elphaba saw the back of the stranger as he ran away from her towards the bedroom. She kept quiet and slowly moved towards the room.

Fiyero entered the room and what he saw made his heart sink: A pile of black cloth and an empty bucket on its side, "No…. No it's impossible." He was on his knees holding the cloth. His body froze as he heard the cock of a gun, "You have come to the wrong place, sir." The voice was cold and sent shivers down his spine, "What are you doing here?"

"Returning home."

'Home?' she thought to herself… and that voice… she would know it anywhere. She spoke soflty; her voice shaking, "Yero?"

He turned at the sound of his name and saw her, "Elphaba" at the site of him, Elphaba's world went dark.


	4. The Wicked and her Prince

Fiyero reached her before she hit the ground. He scooped her into his arms, carried her over to her bed, and lay her down. He brought his hand up to her face to brush away a strand of hair, but quickly drew back his hand. Her skin felt as if it were on fire. Suddenly Chistery entered the room and approached the bed with an aggressive growl, "It's okay," Fiyero said holding up his hands, "I'm not going to hurt her." He had no idea if the monkey could understand a word he was saying,but was relieved when his growling stopped and he approached the bed holding an empty bottle of coconut oil, pointing at Elphaba.

Immediately understanding the monkey's meaning, Fiyero wrapped Elphaba in his arms and began his descent down the observation tower. He headed towards the East wing of the castle; the wing he had shared with Sarima, and quickly navigated himself through the different rooms until he reached his private chambers, where he placed Elphaba on his bed.

He turned from the bed and ran from the room and out to his carriage. He fished around his bags until he came upon the parcel that held the bottles of oil and dresses he had purchased. He then turned and headed back to the East wing. Elphaba still lay asleep when he returned. He sat next to her sleeping form and began to undo her black cloak and tunic. He carefully lifted her body and removed the clothing from her back, tossed them to the floor, and lay her back down.

Elphaba lay below him naked, and he instantly felt ashamed at seeing her so exposed. Though he had been with her naked more times then he could remember, each time it was always dark. Elphaba was resolute on NEVER being seen naked in the light. He had only caught a glimpse of her naked in daylight once, and even that was for the briefest of moments before they were both lost between the sheets of her bed.

Fiyero noticed some minor scarring that started at her right breast and carried over her entire sternum. He assumed that water had seeped through her clothing and had not been properly attended to. Fiyero unscrewed the capof a fresh bottle of coconut oil and poured a small portion onto her chest and carefully massaged the oil over her breasts and sternum. He poured more oil onto her stomach and worked the oil up to her chest and neck, carefully working the oil into the skin of her face.

He worked the oil into her arms, legs, and back, thoroughly cleaning her and cooling her off at the same time; he noticed that her skin's temperature declined with the application of oil. Once he completed oiling herbody, he sat her up so that she lay limply against his chest.

He reached over for a white satin blanket that lay folded at the foot of the bed. He lifted Elphaba's arms and wrapped the blanket around her body and then gently lay her down onto the pillows. He lay down next to her and nuzzled his face into the crook of her neck. Kissing her slowly,he smiled fully for the first time in five years.

He lay with her quietly, and when he had convinced himself that she would not disappear from the room, he got up from the bed and walked out of the wing to the carriage. He saddled up the horses at the castle's stable and carried in the trunk that held his clothing. He made his way back to his room and into the bathroom where he cleaned his body and changed into a fresh tunic and trousers, replacing Elphaba's Vinkus scarf from his jacket pocket into the pocket of his shirt.

He walked back to the bedroom and stood at the side of the bed looking down at Elphaba. He reached out a hand and dragged a finger down the side of her soft emerald cheek. He jumped suddenly as his wrist was caught in a firm grip and Elphaba's eyes shot open.

She gave a small scream of fear and made a quick, violent move to get away from him, "ELPHABA, calm down. It's okay... It's me!" She looked at his face, and deep into his eyes. The color from her face seemed to drain, making her look more pearly green then emerald. Her eyes were wide with disbelief. She reached out a hand to his cheek, and when she felt him, her eyes became flooded with tears, "This can't be real... You were dead... There was so much blood-" She lost her voice then, her bodyovercome with sobs. She threw her arms around his neck and clung to him for dear life. He held her tight and ran his hand through her hair, "Shh, it's okay. Everything'sall right."

He felt her tears soaking the frontof his tunic and pushed her back suddenly, "Elphaba, your tears... Hold still." He took out her Vinkus scarf andsoftly dabbed at the tears that were streaming down her face. She smiled back at him and brought her hands to his face, cupping his cheeks, "How is this possible? Five years, Yero, I thought you were dead."

He smiled back at her, "No, not dead... Though there were times that I wished for it." He then proceeded to tell her the tale of his capture and incarceration. He was careful to spare her the gruesome and violent details of his time in the palace dungeon, but could tell by her facial expressions that she had alreadyfigured out what had happened to him. There was never a detail that he could hide from her.

She hugged him then, and held him, something she had never done before. Her hug seemed to say, 'I'm sorry. Forgive me.' Still holding him,she spoke, her voice just above a whisper, "You have no idea how many times I had hoped for, and imagined this moment. Hoping beyond hope that you were alive and that I'd see you again."

He smiled again and gave a small laugh, "I knew you were alive...The fact that I was never given an execution warrant was my only comfort and hope that you were safe and well hidden," He pulled back from her and cupped her cheeks, "But I didn't think thatI'd ever see you again." He ran his hand from her cheek to her hair, gentlybringing her lips to his.

Elphaba wrapped her arms around his neck, deepening their kiss. Their bodies fell back slowlyonto the soft padding of the bed, and it was only moments before his clothing, along with the satin blanket, were discarded into a pile on the floor. Fiyero lay above her, his member grazing at her entrance, "I'd almost forgotten how beautiful you are." She rolled her eyes slightly and gave a sweet smile, perhaps believing him for the first time.

He gave her hip a gentle squeeze and she reached up and brought his lips down to meet hers. She arched her hips up and gave a soft moan as he eased himself inside her. They clung to each other for what seemed like an eternity, but when he brought his lips again to hers, they moved as they always had, 'blue diamonds on a green field.'


End file.
